Tractor hitch



March 15, 1932. G. H. BURRILL TRACTQR HI TCH Filed Feb. 11, 1931 v/omgya vention consists in the construction, arrange-- Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE E. BUBRILL, OF STRlJfBIeEIOWA Application filed February 11, 193 1.l sria fnd, 514,996. w

The object of this invention is to provide an improved hitching means adapted for use in connecting a follower machine to a tractor, the hitching means being so arranged that the v 5 pivot point upon which the follower machine swings is located at a point rearwardly of the rear line of the tractor mechanism, whereby a substantially square turn may be made.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tractor hitch. which is sturdy and also comparatively inexpensive and which will not become uncoupled accidentally in use. 7

With these and other objects in view myinment and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which v Figure 1 is a plan view showing portions of a tractor and a follower machine connected thereto by means of my improved hitch, the

dotted lines indicating right angled positions which may be assumed by the follower machine in making a turn either to the right or to the left.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the hitching means detached.

Figure 3 is a detail cross section on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail longitudinal section on the line 44 of Figure 3. a

In the drawings Ihave shown a portion of the rear end of a tractor, designated by'the character A, and a small portion of the forward end of a follower machine, such as a binder, designated by the character B. The rear end of the tractor A is provided with a draw bar 10 of ordinary form. The type of draw bar here shown is substantially rectangular and has considerable width in a direction transversely of the tractor. The follower machine B is provided with a forwardly extending pole or tongue 12.

The hitch device includes a draft member 14 which preferably is composed of a channel bar arranged with its channel opening downwardly and said draft member is designed to be located beneath the draw bar 10 and tongue 12. Coacting with the draft'me'mberf 14 is an offset bar 16 of "flat-metal which is ar-" ranged above the draw bar 10 and*tongue 12 l6 and parallel with thesaid'ldraft'memberl' Thedraft member 14 and offset bar were formed" at their forward ends with registering holes 18andthey are adapted to embrace and engage the draw bar 10' at its rear left cor? 80 ner andto be secured thereto'by a bolt 20 which passes through the holes 18 and'a .corresponding hole in the 'dr aw'barii f An oblique brace is provided which is composed of a flat bar 22'and an offset bar 24ar"- 9 ranged substantially parallel therewith.

The'bars 22 and 24 are'provided with registering holes 26 at their forward ends and they are adapted to embrace and'engagfejthe' draw bar 10 of the tractor at therearri'ght corner thereof, and to be securedthereto by a'bolt 28 passing through the'holes 26 and through a corresponding hole in the said draw bar. I v

V Therearendlportion of the hitch 'device embraces andengages the forward portion of the tongue 12 which normally' is aligned with the draft member 14 and the offset bar 16as shown bysolid lines in Figure 1. The.

rearend portion of the oblique brace com posed of the flat bar 22f'and "ofiset bar 24 overlaps the rear portion of the-draftgmember l4 and offset member l6 and} also embraces and engages the tongue 12." I

The overlapping rear'end portions ofth'e draft member. 14 and flat bracemember 22 are formed withregistering"openings at 30 and the'overlapping rear endsof the offset bars 16 and 24 are formed with registering v openings, at 32. A king bolt 34 is extended-" through the openings 32, through an opening inthe tongue 12 and through the registering opening 30 of the lower Inembersof the hitch device and preferably is secured by means of a nut36 and lock-nut '38, The tongue 12 may, asin the ordinary construction, be provided with wear plates 40 and 42 located respectively on its upper ,andlower surfaces and these plates-receive the actual i ployed for connecting any kind of follower" or trailer machine to a tractor, an d it may be pivotally attached to" any suitable part 'of' such machine. v

It will be notedparticularly that the location ofthe pivot 34c by which the fol-lower machine is attached to the hitch device permits the tongue 12 "to swing to any desired extent in following. the, tractor,-up to and including the making of a square or right angled turnas inroundin g. a corner. The position which the tongue and follower machine may assumein turning a square corner in either direction is indicated by, dotted lines in Figure :1, T i i The' hi'tch device is sturdy, strong-and durable, and isiii'exp ensive t0,.manufacture, and easy to inst-all; Furthermore, there is no danger thatit will: become imfastened-or' unf coupled accidentally due to jolting or osci'L lation when it is'being used. I

The ofiset construction of the bars 16' and 24' compensates for thedifi'erenc'e in thickness .in a vertical plane of the draw bar 10 which lower machine, said flat bar and the uppermost brace member being ofiset between their ,usu'all-y'is made offlat metal, andlthe tongue V which is usually made of wood and which is o'f'consi'derable thickness.

Somechanges may be made in the construc- .ti on and arrangement of the pa'rts'of mydevice without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is'my intention to cover by my claim; any modified forms ofstructure, or'use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

L I claimas my ventitn:-, v

A hltcli dev ce for a tractor'havin'g a' wide ,and thin drawbar, comprising aldr'a'ft memher or channel form 1 mountedfb'eneath the draw bar at one side thercoii and a bar of that material parallel With'said draft member and engagingabove the dra-w'ba'r, a bolt for conj un'ctively securing said ldra'ft member and flat bar to the draw bar a pair o fp'aral- I lel' brace vmembers engaging on opposite" faces "o'fthe 'dra'w ba'r and c'onjunctively secured fthereto" at the opposite side' from saididraft member said brace members beingof greater length 'th'an the draft member and'fiat bar and being. obliquely arranged and overlappingthe draftmember" and-flatter at their rear ends', a king bolt'fior conjunctively pivoting all of saidmembers to :a part of :a'fol- 

